With so many complex social and political forces impacting philanthropy and the third sector today, it’s more important than ever for social justice fundraisers of every stripe to find purpose and meaning in their toil. The Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT) suggests that the distinction between donor and recipient is fleeting and that the transformational power of philanthropy lies in discovering and sharing our inner fundraiser with the world around us. Join us for this engaging webinar as we explore GIFT’s work to cultivate intention, craft, and pride in the role of the fundraiser as part of a broader effort to redefine philanthropy and help construct a shared vision of resource mobilization across the sector. We’ll learn about GIFT’s programs, in particular the biennial Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference, hear about impact from partners who’ve experienced GIFT’s transformative programming, and consider some strategic philanthropic responses to current trends in the sector.

Veronica was born in Los Angeles and raised on the U.S./Mexico border in El Paso, Texas. She has over 20 years of experience working with social justice nonprofit organizations and community groups on issues including access to health care, food and housing, quality education, anti-violence initiatives, LGBTQ equity, economic justice, anti-racism, and immigrant rights.

Veronica is deeply committed to using the power of fundraising as a movement building strategy. She learned and internalized this powerful value as a graduate of GIFT’s Staff-in-Training Internship Program over 10 years ago. In the years since graduating from GIFT’s training program, Veronica has supported numerous community groups and organizations in building their grassroots fundraising capacity. Veronica also more recently helped launch two local community projects: the Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee and the Paso del Norte OUT Fund, a grantmaking initiative of El Paso’s LGBTQA community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, and our allies).

ABOUT GIFT — Founded in 1996, the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT) is a multiracial organization that promotes the connection between fundraising, social justice and movement-building. GIFT builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations to raise money and develop healthy, diverse, and sustainable fundraising programs. We believe that how groups are funded is as important to achieving their goals as how the money is spent, and that building community support is central to long-term social change.

GIFT trains 300+ organizations each year, and specializes in training organizations with budgets below $1 million, especially those working for social justice and those based in communities of color. GIFT’s training, capacity building, and consulting services seek to develop and strengthen the fundraising knowledge and skills of grassroots fundraisers, increase the capacity of organizations to integrate fundraising with programmatic work, and develop effective grassroots fundraising plans. Learn more here.